Calling is a difficult step for people to take, Schmidt said, noting that Childhelp finds callers make four or five attempts before they finally stay on the line to speak with someone.

"They are so afraid of, 'Am I really reading this correctly,' " she said. "'What Pandora's box will this open up?"

But she urged that people, if they have that suspicion, make a report to their local child-abuse agency. It might not result in an investigation by itself. But it creates a file into which other reports -- by you or anyone else with suspicions -- will go.

She also noted that five children in the United States die every day as a result of child abuse and neglect, making reports critical to helping prevent abuse. "If not you, then who?" she asked.

Child abuse includes physical, sexual and emotional abuse, but the most common form is neglect. Signs of neglect include:

Clothes that are dirty, ill-fitting, ragged, and/or not suitable for the weather

Unwashed appearance; offensive body odor

Indicators of hunger: asking for or stealing food, going through trash for food, eating too fast or too much when food is provided for a group

Apparent lack of supervision: wandering alone, home alone, left in a car

In schoolchildren, frequent absence or lateness; troublesome, disruptive behavior or its opposite, withdrawal

In babies, failure to thrive; failure to relate to other people or to surroundings

Signs of physical abuse include visible marks of maltreatment, such as cuts, bruises, welts, or well-defined burns, and reluctance to go home. Also, the agency notes, "If you ask a child about how he or she got hurt and the child talks vaguely or evasively about falling off a fence or spilling a hot dish, think hard before you accept the child’s story at face value."

People should also be alert to signs of sexual abuse such as inappropriate interest in or knowledge of sexual acts, seductive behavior, a reluctance or refusal to undress in front of others and fear of a particular person or family member.

Signs of emotional abuse include apathy, depression, and hostility. If the abuse happens at school, the child may be reluctant to go to school and develop or fake a physical complaint.

The agency hotline can also offer tips on reporting child abuse; here are a few key ones:

If something is going on at that moment, call 911.

Keep your report factual. Child abuse is an emotionally charged issue, but focus on collecting and relaying facts about the situation.

Don't make a report because you want to harm an ex-spouse or make trouble for someone.

Finally, counsels Colette Brown, managing director of Providence Wee Care, look for how you can help prevent child abuse before it starts. Get to know the people and families around you. "Part of a job of a village is to watch out for families in crisis situations or stressful situations," said Brown. If you see an overwhelmed parent with a child who's acting up in a grocery store, offer to open the door, or lend a hand, she said. The parent may welcome -- or rebuff -- your help, but it can help the parent regain perspective.